Dispensing container



Aug. 5, 1941.

A. E. CULLEN DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 50, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

KHz/z.

Aug. 5, '1941.

A. E. CULLEN DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 30, 1939 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 2,251,823 DISPENSING CONTAINER.

ArthurErCullen, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to R. 0. Can Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 30, 1939, Serial No. 282,301

Claims.

The present invention relates to containers adapted for the packaging and dispensing of absorbent cotton, or similar -materials in the form of a continuous strip put up in rolls, or folds.

A general object of the invention is to provide an inner removable containertop including a dispensing opening, and a manually operated slide closure for the opening, which also serves to clamp 0r squeeze material between one edge thereof and one edge of the opening to hold same while a predetermined portion thereof is pulled, or torn off the end of a roll, or folds loosely disposed within the container, and to hold the exposed end of the material from falling back into the container after a portion has been torn oif.

A further object of the invention resides in a removable apertured inner top closure head provided with a sliding closure, to enable a roll, or folds of material being placed within the container when the closure is removed from a container body, and protecting the material against the elements when the closure is applied to the container body, and a removable top outer closure head to protect an exposed end of the material passed through the aperture-of the inner closure head against the elements until it is desired to pull, or tear off a predetermined length of the material.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a container of the character, which will be strong and durable in its upper corner construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and high 1y efficient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the dispensing container, showing part of its outer top closure as broken away.

Fig. 2 is a View of the container, partly in side elevation and partly in sectional elevation, and showing a roll of absorbent cotton within the container with the end thereof held in a clamped position.

Fig. 3 is a reduced top plan view of the removable inner closure head, showing the dispensing opening therein as uncovered.

Fig. 4 is a detail, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of the upper end of the container with outer closure removed and showing a portion of the cotton strip pulled through dispensing opening and ready to be clamped in position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a View taken on line 55 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a modified form of combined slide closure and clamping member.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing a modified form of edge for the dispensing opening.

Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 8+8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 99 of Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawings, the container is designated, generally as A. A roll of absorbent cotton, designated 13, is shown as disposed in the container A. The cotton, or any other material, separable by pulling on one end thereof, or tearable, can be in the form of a roll, or a pile folded back and forth upon itself. The cotton B, or other material, Whether in the form of a roll, or folds isloosely held within the container A.

As shown in the drawings, the container A, consists of a body I made from any suitable material, preferably, although not necessarily, of paper board material, such as is usually used in paper can and tube construction.

A suitable bottom closure head 2 is seamed to the lower end of the body l in the usual well known manner.

A sheet metal friction, or inset type inner top closure head, designated generally as C, is applied to the top end of the body l. The inner top closure head C is readily removable for placing a roll, or folds of strip material B within the container body A, and the inner closure head can be reapplied after the material has been placed therein to protect the material against the elements. The inner closure head C comprises a flat plate portion 3, the upright side wall portions l thereof terminating in a curved free edge flange 5 to rest upon the top edge of the container body A for supporting the inner closure head in position within the open topend of the container body.

If desired, only the four corners of the upright wall 4 need be flanged to support the closure head in position. An inner closure head thus formed, is of the inset, or friction type so that the plate portion 3 is disposed a suitable distance below the top edge of the container body A, and the side wall 4 thereof and its curved edge 5 oiiers the necessary resistance to prevent the closure head falling or working its way further into the container body I.

The plate portion 3 is joined with upright wall portion 4 by means of a curved corner 6. The plate portion '3 of the inner closure head C is provided near one end with a suitable transverse dispensing aperture, opening, or' slot I, substantially the full width of the plate portion 3. A suitable reinforcing bead 8 can be formed on the plate portion 3 adjacent the opening I.

Opposed side walls 4 of the corner closure head C are each provided with a suitably shaped inwardly projecting head 9 to form lower shoulders In a suitable distance above the plate portion 3, and thereby provide ways I I in which the upwardly curved side edges I2 of a suitable slide closure plate I3 mounted upon the flat plate portion 3, are adapted to ride for guiding sliding movement of the closure plate I3, and for holding the slide closure plate I3 in contact with the top surface of the plate portion 3 of the inner closure head C. The slide closure plate I3 is adapted to cover and uncover the dispensing opening 'I and the lead edge I4 of the sliding closure plate I3 is adapted to cooperate with a suitable upstanding flanged edge I5 of the dispensing opening 1 to provide a vice, or clamp to firmly hold cotton, or other material, in strip form, passing through the opening I.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, the lead edge I4 of the slide closure plate I3 is in the form of a straight edge, and the upstanding flanged edge I5 of the opening I is shown as a straight edge. In Fig. 6, the lead edge of the slide closure plate I3 is shown, in a modified form, as provided with suitable serrations, or teeth. In Fig. 7, the flanged edge of the opening 'I is shown, in a modified form, as provided with upstanding serrations, or teeth I5, while the lead edge of the slide closure plate I3 is shown in the form of the straight edge I4. If desired, the lead edge of the slide closure plate I3 can be provided with the i serrations, or teeth I I and the flanged edge of the opening I can be provided with the serrations, or teeth I5. The edge of the slide 010- sure plate I3 opposite the lead edge thereof, can

be suitably formed, as at I6, to provide a finger hold for manipulating the slide member I3.

After the inner closure head has been removed from the container body I, and a roll, or pile of cotton, or like material B is placed in the container body, the slide plate or closure I 3 is moved to uncover the dispensing opening I and then the free end of the roll, or pile of material B is threaded, or pulled through the dispensing opening I in the closure head 0. The inner closure head C is applied to the top, or open end of the container body I, which i accomplished by merely pushing it into position. The slide closure plate I 3 is then moved to substantially cover,

or close the dispensing opening I, and in so doing, the lead edge of the slide closure plate I3 clamps,

or squeezes the cotton, or other material B between the lead edge of the slide closure plate I3 and the upwardly flanged edge of the dispensing slot, or opening I, thereby holding the material B in position so that a predetermined length, or amount of material B pulled through the dispensing opening I, can be readily detached from the roll, or pile B by pulling, or tearing it off,

of the end of the roll, or pipe projecting through the opening I. The slide plate I3 can be held in its closed position, in lead edge contact with the material, by the fingers of one hand, and the pulling, or tearing operation can be accomplished by means of the other hand.

When the lead edge of the slide closure plate 1 I3 i moved into contact with the material B, if cotton, it compresses the same along a straight line as it is held between the stationary flanged edge I5 or I5, which serves as a stationary clamping jaw and lead edge I4 or I4 of the slide plate I 3, which serves as a horizontal sliding clamping jaw, and, while the material B is held between the said jaws, the exposed portion I! of the material B, as shown in Fig. 4, can be readily pulled apart adjacent the line marked ofi across the strip of material B by the lead edge of the closure plate I3 and the flanged edge of the dispensing opening I.

After a predetermined portion of the material B has been pulled, or torn ofi above the slide closure plate I3, the slide plate I3 can be moved to uncover the dispensing opening I, thereby releasing pressure against the material B. The material left exposed through the slot, or opening I, can then be grasped by the fingers and another desired length of material can be pulled through the dispensing opening I and the slide plate I3 moved to closed position to clamp the material B against displacement. After an exposed portion I! of the material has been pulled, or torn off the end of the roll, or pipe of material B, the closure plate I3 isleft in its closed position, which prevents the short exposed end II of the material B, as shown in Fig. 1, from falling back into the container through the opening I and leaves a sufiicient amount exposed above the slide plate I3 to grasp for pulling the desired amount'out of the container after the slide plate I3 has been moved to release pressure against material B and to uncover the opening I3.

To protect the small end portion II of the roll, or pipe of material B exposed above the slide plate I3, as shown in Fig. 1, after having torn off the desired amount of material, an outer top closure head, or cover D, of the slip closure type,

is applied to the upper end of the container body I, and, it not only protects the exposed end of the material against the elements, but it also protects the inner closure head C and the slide closure plate I3 mounted thereon from the elements.

As will be apparent from Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is sufficient space I8 formed between the inner apertured closure head C and the outer closure head, or cover D so that a short, or relatively long length of material may be protected and held in said space I8 in readiness to be readily torn off the material after the outer closure head D has been removed from the container body,

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that a simple device for this purpose has been disclosed, but it is to be understood that I do not desire to restrict, or limit myself to the very details of the construction shown and described, which is merely illustrative, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made without conflicting or departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a strip cotton roll container having a depressed flat closure head provided with a dispensing opening through which the strip cotton passes, of an upstanding flange at one edge of the opening, a reinforcing bead adjacent the opposite edge of the opening, opposed inwardly projecting beads formed on opposite walls of the closure head to form ways between the beads and the closure head, a flat sliding plate having opposite side edge portions riding in said ways to hold the plate in contact with the top face of the closure head and adapted to cover and uncover the dispensing opening, the lead edge of the sliding plate cooperating with the aforesaid upstanding flange to clamp strip cotton in roll form along the outer edge of the dispensing opening.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1, wherein the upstanding flange is V-tooth shaped.

3. In a device as defined in claim 1, wherein 10 the lead edge of the slide member is V-tooth shaped.

4. In a device as defined in claim 1, wherein the upstanding flange and the lead edge of the slide member are both V-tooth shaped.

5. In a device as defined in claim 1, wherein the side edge portions of the slide member are slightly bent upwardly to ride in the opposed Ways.

ARTHUR E. CULLEN. 

